I’ve always liked Dick Warlock’s portrayal and I like the damaged body theory. Having said that, his walk to the elevator is really slow and removes any tension from that scene. I’m willing to bet if Rick Rosenthal or Debra Hill asked Dick to walk faster he would have. Also I believe the scenes of him walking from the Elrod house and walking to Haddonfield Memorial were both reshoots directed by John Carpenter. Maybe Carpenter directed Dick to walk faster but by then the rest of the movie had already been filmed. I liked Dick Warlock’s pace throughout the hospital while he was creeping around and searching for Laurie. I just wish he had a little hustle in that step after he found her.
That’s something I’ve seen a lot of people saying in response to this post, and I 100% agree. The elevator walk really puts a damper on it all, and the walk to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital is that same quick pace we saw before. I’m personally gonna chalk that up to The Shape trying to get to Laurie before she could recover in any bit, and once it got there, it lowered it’a guard and rush (the same way we saw in the house in H78) because it knew Laurie couldn’t leave the hospital, and if she did, she wouldn’t get far due to the injuries she sustained.
Actually, this is how I picture it playing in the Shapes head; The Shape is in immense pain and damage following the events of H1 leading into H2, it’s moving quickly as to not get caught by the cops and Loomis. If the Shape is located near the Doyle’s, there are dozens of cops in the area ready to move in on it at a moments notice (why it hurried away), upon realizing Laurie is at Haddonfield Memorial, The Shape then picks up the pace again to get to her before A) The Shape succumbs to it’s injuries, B) Laurie heals enough to live through the night or C) they send cops or others to watch over Laurie. The Shape is slow in the hospital to remain silent and careful, and because it’s pain is starting to catch up to it. It also realizes Laurie has no where to run or go this time due to her injured leg, so it decides to move slowly to continue playing with her (the same way the pace changed inside the Doyle residence).
That’s just my thought, given everyone else’s input, let me know what you all think?
A bit too much thought into the fast pace and slow pace in terms of how it would work mentally, I’ve had moments like that, but it’s either an adrenaline hit, or due to the intensity of the pain being a burning sensation, both of which will come in waves